Task Force busts gutka racket

Hyderabad: Central Zone Task Force team nabbed two persons who were transporting and in possession of gutka items on Friday and seized about Rs 1.5 lakh worth contraband and a transporting vehicle from their possession.

The accused were identified as Mohammed Imtiyaz Khan (39) and Shaik Riyaz (38).

According to the P Radha Kishan Rao Deputy Commissioner of Police, Task Force, Hyderabad on credible information the sleuths of Commissioner's Task Force, Central Zone team intercepted one mini trolley vehicle near old Kacheguda Police Station and found huge quantity of banned chewing tobacco like zarda, pan masala material and arrested two accused Mohammed Imtiyaz Khan and Shaik Riyaz who were involved in procuring and transporting noxious tobacco products and seized all worth about Rs 1.5 lakh and one mini Trolley vehicle.

DCP said that Imtiyaz Khan doing a small business to out his livelihood hatched a plan to sell the tobacco products to the needy customers secretly as there is huge demand for tobacco products which were banned by the government.

Imtiyaz was obtaining the contraband from one of his known contacts by name Deepak Mishra of Uttar Pradesh who was sending the tobacco to Imtiyaz through railway parcel.

Then with the help of Shaik Riyaz he transported the products and packing rolls to other districts of Telangana state and also selling to pan shops for huge amount and making illegal profits.

The arrested accused along with seized properties were handed over to Kacheguda police station for further action.